Charlie Austin under police investigation

It is a warning to drivers though...remember my rule about everyone else being a moron...you must still be alert even if the lights change in your favour. Charlie must have put his foot down to do such damage from a standing start....though possibly the cyclist was just very unlucky. Waiting at traffic lights isn't the same as being on a starting grid.

 

Not sure why he keeps saying only Charlie can tell him what happened seeing as the police have told him already. The police would have spoken to witnesses. It sounds like he went through a light instead of stopping, Charlie didn't see him so over he went. How fast was the cyclist going? He is then saying 'I have aways said people should wear safely gear and if they do something wrong while cycling on the road they could be held accountable'. and yet he had no helmet on. He can't say it's not safe to cycle when he was breaking the law and not adequately dressed.

 

Believe me it's every sensible driver/rider's rule. We do not know the detail, but if the rider keeps out of harm's way then cycling stays safe.
The beef with this cyclist is that he has suddenly decided that cycling is too dangerous. I would ask him whaf his view is in a couple of years when he can look at his accident from a better perspective.

 

The cyclist said (in the Echo) that he doesn't blame anyone...said we were both there and both made a mistake. He added that he is taking it as a positive and that he now has a second chance....best way to look at it.

 

I cycle and drive and have to agree with Fran's general point that the only safe thing to do is assume everyone is an idiot. Will that bicycle shoot through the red light? Assume yes. Be ready. Will that driver pull out in front of my bike? Assume yes. Make eye contact. Walking across the road at the corner but the approaching car isn't indicating? Assume he is turning and thinks his indicators are just for other cars... My personal favourite is cyclists out late at night, wearing black, with no helmet or lights, driving down Thomas Lewis Way.

 

Charlie had his driver awareness course today. My dad was the instructor!

 

For some reason I have created a visual image of father and son at the breakfast table, one reading the Highway Code and the other the FA rule book

 

I have now driven in Eastern Europe for 12 years. If you drive assuming other drivers will abide by the highway code you will probably die! You have to adopt an extreme defensive driving technique. Someone indicates left, they'll probably turn right. You have priority at a junction, someone will drive through the other way, they drive on the right, unless they drive on the left. They have insurance, no they don't. It's made me a very boring driver but I'm still alive!

 

Hang on, you're a referee....

.... please tell me your Dad is not an ex-copper (converted to instructor)?